Controlling opioid activity using light and chemicals
Official title: Optimizing chemical- and light-dependent protein switches for controlling opioid peptide activity with temporal control
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11071296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to improve special proteins that can help control how opioids work in the brain, which could lead to better pain relief and safer treatments for addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $42,144 |
| NIH project number | 1F31DA060678-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11071296 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals suffering from pain management issues or opioid addiction.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have issues related to pain or opioid use may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to optimize protein switches that can control the activity of opioid peptides, which are important for pain relief and addiction management. By using advanced techniques like chemogenetics and optogenetics, the study aims to manipulate specific neural circuits with high precision. This approach allows researchers to explore the effects of opioids on pain and addiction in various experimental settings, potentially leading to safer pain management strategies and new treatments for addiction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for pain and opioid addiction.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research using chemogenetics and optogenetics has shown promising results in manipulating neural circuits, indicating potential success for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vazquez-Rivera, Luis Alonso — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Vazquez-Rivera, Luis Alonso
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.